F1 Fans Stunned As Ridiculed Lando Norris Rule Set For Dramatic U-Turn After Driver Backlash

Bernie Collins has become the latest figure to slam the current state of Formula One regulations after a series of driver complaints in recent times. The Formula One paddock has been divided over several new rule introductions in the past few years, with one of the most-criticized being the decision to award points to drivers who finish in the top ten but fail to complete a certain percentage of the race distance in case of an early abandonment.

This rule has been labelled as the 'worst rule ever invented' by McLaren star Lando Norris. According to critics of this rule, such a scheme would have penalized drivers who suffered car failures beyond their control and faced retirement due to reliability problems despite displaying exceptional speed throughout the weekend.

This remark by Norris was in response to a call from teams to reintroduce the original system of awarding full points to the top ten drivers in case a race could not be resumed following an accident or adverse weather conditions. However, Formula One's governing body seems to be having a rethink on this rule.

There is also growing disillusion among drivers with regard to the way in which Red Bull star Max Verstappen employs pushy overtaking maneuvers on track. Some drivers, including Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, have expressed their resentment towards the perceived leniency with which stewards deal with these moves by Verstappen.

For example, Verstappen has escaped unpunished for very similar incidents in different championships throughout the 2023 season. One high-profile incident occurred in Austria, where Verstappen appeared to commit a cut-off move against Hamilton.

Another key area of concern among fans and teams is the reduced tyre durability displayed by the current crop of Pirelli's wet-weather tyre compounds. Pirelli became the official Formula One tyre supplier in 2011, and their products are known for high levels of grip but often suffer from a certain degree of lack of durability.

Many have pointed out that less wet running in recent years has reduced the chances for Formula One drivers to fine-tune their wet-weather tyre management skills, which they believe can increase reliance on intermediates. For their part, Pirelli officials have argued that the reduced number of wet races as well as changes to their tyre compound specs reduce wear and improve overall consistency and driver safety.